Power lift device for implements



Aug. 8, 1950 J. R. ORELIND POWER LIFT DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTS Filed Oct. 5, 1946 5 9 a PM OW Patented Aug. 8, 1950 POWER LIFT DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTS John R. Orelind, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, acorporation oi o New Jersey Application October 5, 1946,'Serial No. 701,580 I 3 Claims. (01. 97-50) This invention relates to a tractor and implement combination. More specifically, it relates to a tractor-mounted implement provided with tractor power operated lifting and gauging mechanisms. 5

The trend in recent years has been wherever possible to attach implements directly to a tractor. -In making this type of implements difiiculties have been encountered in providing suitable gauge means, as the position of the ground is not always a proper indication to determine the working position of the implement. It has therefore been necessary to provide independent gauge means for the implement.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide improved and simplified gauge means for an implement directly connected to a tractor along with lifting means, both being operated by asingle power-lift structure on the tractor.

7 Another important object is the provision of two sets of gauge means at laterally spaced positions for an implement extending transversely across the tractor.

Another specific object is to provide a rockable power lift arm with connecting linkages for performing two independent operations with one being substantially ineffective while the other is being operated to perform its function.

The above objects and others which will be apparent from the detailed description to follow are attained by a construction such as shown in the drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevation of a tractor and implement combination with the rear axle structure of the tractor broken away in section at one side to remove the wheel and better show'the implement connecting linkage; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear portion of the tractor andthe implement shown in Figure 1.

The drawings show a conventional tricycle tractor having a narrow body 10, a hood and radiator structure II, a front wheel bolster l2, a steerable front wheel I 3, a steering shaft l4, a column ii for supporting a steering shaft, laterally extending rear axle housings I6, drive axles ll and traction'wheels l8. As shown, the traclized for rocking the shaft I9 at the will of the operator by means of small levers 24 pivotally mounted on the column 15 and operable over an indexing sector 25. Rods 23, one of which is visible, are shown as connecting the lower ends of the levers 24 to the power-lift mechanism within the. tractor body Ill. l

.Each of the shafts I9 is provided with a lifting arm 21 provided with an extended end portion 28 which is connected as illustrated by two pins 29 with an arcuate member 30 which is formed on a radius about theaxis of the shaft l9 and projects a substantial angular direction to each side of the arm 21.

The drawings illustrate animplement extending entirely across the rear of the tractor, said implement consisting essentially of a transverse brackets 3t provide means for flexibly connecting the implement to the tractor by means of a sub- Said linkage includes stantially parallel linkage. a pair-of arms 3l-"pivotallyconnected to the upper ends of the brackets by pins 38 and a pair of links 39 pivotally connected at the lower ends of the brackets 36. A pair of bracket structures 40 are rigidly connected to the axle housings I 6.

At their lower ends said bracket structures 40 provide means for'pivotally connecting the links 39. At their upper ends said brackets carry pins 4| on which sleeves '42 are rotatably mounted. The arms 3! are rigidly connected to the sleeves 42 and upstandingcrank arms 43'are also rigidly carried by said sleeves. The arms 31, the sleeves 42 and the arms 43 in e'fiect provide bell cranks oscillatable'about the pins 4l It will be vunderel stood that the connections at the pins 38 and the pivotal connections at both ends of the links 39 are sulficiently free toprovide flexing of the im plement about a longitudinal axissufiiciently to permit the implement to follow the contour of the ground and to provide for'independent adjustment'of each end "of the implement as will be hereinafter "described? Guide members 44 are pivotally connected by pins 45 to the arms 43. Links 46 slidably extend through theguide members 44, said links being pivotally connected to therear-most portion 41' of the arcuate member 36. The links 46 at their rear ends are provided with threaded nuts 48 which provide an adjustable stop. Compression for the member, said pivot shaft being rotatably carried on a transverse axis bythe-member 5L A fluid expansible device including a cylinder 58 and a piston 59 is pivotally connected'to the upper end of the arm 53 andto a bracket 60' on the gauge wheel supporting member 56. Said piston and cylinder device is soarr'anged that its extension and contraction alters the position of the gauge wheel 54 within l mi s necessary to gauge an implement such as shown for all operating conditions; I

A'flekible conduit 81: isconnected'tothe cylinder 5B'andto a cylinder fi2 pivotally connected to the tractor at 63; A piston 64 in the cylinder trispivotally connected by a'pin 65 with an end portion 48 of the' arcuatemernberiill, said end portion extendingin a forward direction of the tractor; with respect to, the. lifting arm 21. It is to be understoodthat the conduit ti confines a medium for transmitting pressure from. the piston 59 to, the i piston 64 and thereby transmitting movement from the arcuate' member to the gauge wheel supporting'mernbe'r' 56;

Figure 1 shows the implementv in normal operating position with the gauge wheel 54 operating Qiii the surface of the. ground as indicated b the line 65. The line 66 indicates the bottom of the furrow. made by the p1ows 3'Ziand-33. 7

When it is desired to loweror raise the plows, anpperatoron the tractor merely operates the level 24't'o1 alter the position of the gauge-wheels 5 l'relative to the resmectiv v endsof the implement. Byhaving-a pair of independently controlled devices either end of the implement may bev lifted and lowered independently.

It will lee-noted thatthe 111165 by which the piston 54 is connected'to the arcuate member 30 i in such a position in Figurelsothat the effective crank arm of the power-lift-device is at substantial: right angles to the line of location of the hydraulic device including the piston 64 and'the cylinder 62.. Thi arransement in angular movement of the power 'lift-arm 21 iseffective in giv s maximum relativemovementof thepiston as.

relative to the cylinder. 62- and therefore maximumrelative movement between the cylinder 58 and the piston 58. It will alsobenoted in Figure l that the. link lies on aline passing'zthrough the'centers of the pivot pin 41 and the axis of the lifting shaft Ill. With: this arrangement small angular movements of the-power-lift arm 21 in either direction have little effect on the longitudinal movement of the link 46 by virtue ofthe lost motion beyond. theend. of the sleeve ofthe guid,e. memher 44 as shown in'Figure- 1, The ah marmovements of. the poweralift arm 21-necessary to cover the range of adjustment of the gaug wheel 54- does. not take up the slack" in the. lifting linkage including the arms 31 and the links 46; For that: reason the implement sows freely whenin operative position and at the same'time a: linkage is available by which the same poWer-liftmechanism which adjusts the gau'se heel maybe utilizedto adjust the working depth of the implement'd'uring' a part of its range of movement and to lift the implement during another part of its range of movement.

It is to be understood that applicant has described one power-lift structure during most of his specification and that an identical power-lift construction is shown at each side of the tractor. In some installations only one of the power-lift devices may be used and moreover each device incorporates'the basic feature of the invention of using two different ranges of movement of the power-lift arm for different functions.

Although applicant has shown and described only a preferred embodiment of his invention, it is" contemplated that all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims form portions of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An implement and tractor combination comprising a tractor having a rockable power lift structure thereon, said structure having connecting points arranged angularly spaced from each other, and an implementconnectedto the tractor for vertical movement with respectthereto, said implement being provided with ground engageable gauge means movable with respect to the cylinde'r'on the deviceconnected to the implement and the gauge means, means confined by said conduit whereby movement of' one piston is transmitted to the other, a lifting linkage connected to the implement and including a link connected to the one of. the connecting points of said power lift structure, said linkage including a lost motion connection whereby the implement may rise and-fall during operation, its working depth being determined by the; gauge means, said link being connected to the power lift structure in such a position that during working position of the implement, said link assumes a dead center position to the extentthat adjustment of the power lifting device does not appreciabl alter the position'of the lifting linkage, the'piston and cylinder device on the tractor being connected to the power lift structure at a point so as to provide a maximum movement of the gauge means upon angular movement of the power lift when the implement is in'WOI'king position.

2. An implement and tractor combination comprising a tractor havingtwo independently operable rockable power lift structures thereon, each structure having connecting points arranged angularly spaced'from each other, and-an implement pivotally connectedtothe tractor for vertical movement with respect thereto, said implement being provided with a pair oflaterally spaced vertically adjustable gauge wheels, a piston and cylinder device connected-between each gauge wheel andthe implement whereby relative movement of the piston and cylinder alters the position of the gauge wheel relative to-the implement and thereby the working depth of the implement, a pair of second cylinder and piston devices each-connected to the tractor and to one of the connecting points on one of the power lift structures, a hose connecting each of said cylinders and the respective gauge wheel cylinder whereby movement of one piston is transmitted to the other, lifting linkage mounted on the tractor and connected to the implement and to one of the power lift structures, said linkage assuming in the working position of the implement a dead center position with respect to the axis of the rockable power lift structure and including lost motion connections whereby the implement may rise and fall during operation, its working depth being determined by the gauge wheels, the pistons of the piston and cylinder devices on the tractor being so connected to the power lift structures that when the implement is in working position small angular movements of th power lift arms are effective to actuate the gauge wheels and to thereby adjust the working depth of the implement.

3. An implement and tractor combination comprising a tractor having two independently operable rockable power lift structures thereon, each structure having connecting points arranged angularly spaced from each other, and an implement pivotally connected to the tractor for vertical movement with respect thereto, said'implement being provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertically adjustable gauge Wheels, a piston and cylinder device connected between each gauge wheel and the implement whereby relative movement of the piston and cylinder alters the position of the gauge Wheel relative to the implement and thereby the working depth of the implement, a pair of second cylinder and piston devices each connected to the tractor and to one of the connecting points on one of the power lift structures, a hose connecting each of said cylinders and the respective gauge Wheel cylinder whereby movement of one piston is transmitted to the other, lifting linkages mounted on the tractor and connected at spaced points to the implement and to connecting points on the power lift structures, said linkages including lost motion connections whereby the implement may rise and fall during operation, its working depth being determined b the gauge wheels, said linkages being connected to the power lift arms in such angular positions that during working position of the implement, each lifting link assumes a dead center position With respect to the axis of the rockable power lift structure to the extent that adjustment of the power lifting structures does not appreciably alter the position of the lifting linkages, the pistons of the piston and cylinder devices on the tractor being so connected to the power lift structures that when the imlement is in working position small angular movements of the power lift arms are effective to actuate the gauge Wheels and to thereby adjust the working depth of the implement.

' JOHN R. ORELIND,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,144,347 Silver Jan. 17, 1939 2,172,983 Morkoski Sept. 12, 1939 2,222,115 Mott Nov. 19, 1940 2,357,848 Ray Sept. 12, 1944 2,410,913 Acton Nov. 12, 1946 2,410,945 Johnson et a1. Nov. 12, 1946 

